Ichigo vs Ulquiorra: the alternate version
by Gakuto1991
Summary: Alternative version of Ichigo and Ulquiorra's fight.


**Enjoy.**

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><p>Ichigo gritted his teeth in pain as he sat on the ground in exhaustion. Standing before him was Ulquiorra, in his Segunda Etapa form. Behind Ichigo was Uryu and Orhime, who were both waiting, ready to help their friend.<p>

Ulquiorra said, "It's futile Kurosaki. No matter how much you try, you will always keep failing."

Ulquiorra glanced at Orihime and added, "And that woman over there will stay here forever, under Lord Aizen."

Orihime trembled in fear as she heard this. Ichigo glared angrily at the batlike Espada.

_"Damn it! I can't go on any longer. Maybe I really can't beat him." _Ichigo miserably thought as he looked at Orihime, who looked back at him with a look of concern and love.

_"Orihime is the reason why I came here in the first place. I can't let her down! But what I can do?"_

Ichigo thought of various ways of defeating Ulquiorra. None of them were useful as Ulquiorra again spoke, "Now is the time to surrender Kurosaki. You stand no chance of defeating me."

Ichigo was about to give up when an old memory resurfaced.

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><p><em><strong>Flashback...<strong>_

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><p><em>"Ichigo! "What happened to you!"<em>

_Masaki Kurosaki cried out as she picked up 7-year Ichigo, who had a black eye from karate practice._

_"It's nothing mom." Ichigo nerviously replied._

_Masaki frowned and said, "Ichigo Kurosaki, You will tell me how you got that black eye on your handsome face or you will be having Ice-cream with red bean paste and ramen!"_

_Ichigo gasped in horror at this. Even though he absolutely loved his mother, her rather...unusual taste in food made him want to hurl._

_Ichigo finally relented and said, "I got into a fight."_

_Masaki frowned even further as she heard this. "Ichigo, what did I tell you about fighting?" She scolded._

_"I know mom but-"_

_"But nothing Ichigo. Next time you really could get hurt." Ichigo reluctantly nodded at her words. Masaki placed Ichigo on her lap and asked, Now tell me what happened." After explaining what had occurred, Masaki then said,_

_"Ichigo, you don't always have to fight with fists."_

_"Huh?" Ichigo said, confused._

_Masaki smiled and continued, "There are other ways to solve conflict." _

_"Like what?" Asked a curious Ichigo._

_"Like trying to talk your way out of a fight. That way you don't have to get hurt."_

_"But what if that doesn't work?" a worried Ichigo asked. _

_"No matter how hard it is, don't stop trying Ichigo." __Masaki said firmly._

_Ichigo looked down on the ground and said, "Is there also a another way? Masaki smiled and replied, "Yes there is."_

_"What it is?" Ichigo asked._

_"Your friends can always back you up. _

_"My friends?" Ichigo asked again._

_"Yes Ichigo. Your friends will be there for you, no matter what. You don't always have to carry the burden of protecting everybody by yourself. Let people help you and you will not fail." __Masaki finished with a loving smile on her face. _

_"Okay mom." Ichigo happily stated._

_"Good. Now let's go home." Masaki said, still smiling. Ichigo eagerly nodded his head as he held Masaki's hand and mother and son both walked home._

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><p><strong><em>Flashback end...<em>**

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><p>Ichigo thought more about his mother's words.<p>

_"I seriously doubt Ulquiorra would want to sit down and have a chat. But right now, I don't see any other way to end this fight." _Ichigo made his decision as he stood up, facing the Espada.

"Giving up?" Ulquiorra asked in a bored tone.

Ichigo said nothing as he walked in front of Ulquiorra, still not saying a word. Ulquiorra watched emotionlessly as he too stared at the substitute Shinigami. Ichigo slowly brought Zangetsu to his face and he suddenly stabbed it in the ground.

"What is he doing?" Uryu whispered.

Orihime didn't respond as she continued to look at the love of her life. "Ichigo." She could only say.

Ulquiorra barely raised an eyebrow at this action. Ichigo finally talked. "Ulquiorra, I have a question for you."

Ulquiorra merely stayed silent.

"Why are you serving Aizen?"

Uryu and Orihime's eyes widen at what they heard. "What the hell is Ichigo doing?" Uryu said, even more confused at his former rival's actions.

"Hmmm...maybe he's trying to talk Ulquiorra out of fighting." Orihime offered.

Uryu frowned at this. "I just hope Ichigo doesn't say anything stupid." Despite this, Uryu had little confidence in Ichigo's plan.

Ulquiorra finally said, "What are you saying Kurosaki?"

"I'm asking you why you're being Aizen's puppet."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and said, "Even if I were to waste my time and your time to answer that question, I will continue to defend Hueco Mundo until Lord Aizen returns."

Ichigo just groaned and said, "Listen to me Ulquiorra! We don't have to keep fighting! Let's just stop now!"

Ulquiorra just gave him a cold stare. "As I can recalled, YOU were the one who wanted to kill me for kidnapping Orihime Inoue and now you suddenly want to stop this battle? You're being a hypocrite Kurosaki."

Ichigo chuckled for a bit and he started to laugh loudly. Uryu and Orihime now looked even more worried.

This time, Ulquiorra did raised an eyebrow.

After he stopped, Ichigo said, "You're right. You're fucking right! I can't believe that I'm here, right now, begging for this fight to be over when I earlier wanted to kill you in the first place. And like what you said, you're under Aizen's orders to stay here and protect Hueco Mundo."

"What are you getting at?" Ulquiorra asked in a cold tone.

Ichigo paused for a bit and said, "Ulquiorra, even though you're Aizen's lackey, you have a choice."

"a choice?" The cuatro Espada said.

"Yes. You can leave here now. And never return."

Ulquiorra just stared at Ichigo and said, "Do you really think I'm going to listen to your nonsense Kurosaki?"

Ichigo got angry and yelled, "Will you just shut up Ulquiorra? You don't have to obey Aizen! And we don't have to keep fighting either. Sure I wanted to kill you but this whole battle with you meaningless. Aizen is my enemy, not you."

Ichigo gazed sadly at the Espada and said, "I pity you Ulquiorra. Even with all that strength, you're degrading yourself to being a puppet."

Ulquiorra stayed silent as Ichigo finished, "Let's stop this Ulquiorra. Just go. And you'll never have to see me again." Ichigo held out his hand in truce.

Ulquiorra just looked at Ichigo's hand, still not saying anything.

Suddenly, Orihime went over to Ichigo's side and said, "Ichigo's right Ulquiorra. You don't have to keep fighting him. Your life is for you to control, nobody else can tell you what to do with it, especially Aizen. So please, just leave."

Ulquiorra gazed at the two teen's hopeful eyes and finally replied. "I'm...sorry. But it's...too late for me. Far too late."

Ichigo and Orhime's widen in shock at his words. As Ichigo looked closer at the Cuatro Espada's eyes, he could detect a hint of sadness inside.

Ulquiorra instantly charged at them but Ichigo grabbed Orihime and ran back to Uryu.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" Ichigo yelled as he launched his attack, a explosion following afterwards.

"Let's hide." Ichigo whispered. Uryu and Orihime nodded as the three friends hid behind some rubble caused by the explosion. "Now what Ichigo? Your plan to talk to your way out of fighting failed. What next?" Uryu said indignantly.

Ichigo just glared at the Quincy and did not say a word.

"Ichigo?" The gentle and concerned voice coming from Orihime.

Ichigo just looked at his friends and said, "Uryu, Orhime, I'm going to need you guys to help me to defeat Ulquiorra."

"What? Are you crazy Ichigo? Stupid question, of course you're that crazy!" Uryu snapped.

"Will you shut up!" Ichigo hissed.

Ichigo sighed heavily as he said, "I realized that I can't defeat him on my own. That's way I need both of your help." Orihime and Uryu glanced at each other. Orhime finally asked, "Do you have an idea Ichigo?"

"I do. Are you guys with me?" Orihime and Uryu nodded their heads.

"Good. Now my plan is...

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><p><strong><em>Now back with Ulquiorra.<em>**

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><p>Ulquiorra stood still as he saw Ichigo coming out of his hiding place.<p>

"Ready to resume this Kurosaki?" Ulquiorra coldly asked.

Ichigo grinned and said, "Bring it!" Ichigo charged, grabbing his sword from the ground, using it to swing at his opponent and using his new hollow mask as well.

Ulquiorra was about to get away when Ichigo suddenly flash-stepped front of him, holding the Espada's waist with his arms tightly.

"What are you doing?" Ulquiorra questioned. Ichigo just smirked and said in his hollow mask voice, "**I got you**." With that, Ichigo used one of his arms to stab Ulquiorra from behind, getting stabbed himself.

Ulquiorra's eyes widen at this as Ichigo shouted, **"Uryu! Now!"**

"Right!" Uryu jumped in the air and launched about a thousand arrows at the two.

"Hmph. What a useless tactic. It's what I expect from you Kurosaki."

Ulquiorra coldly stated as he freed himself from Ichigo and was about to attack.

"Lanza del Relampago!" Ulquiorra created the green like javelin. But as he was about to throw it at his enemies,

"Koten Zanshun! I reject!"

Tsubaki launched himself at the Espada, who had just heard Orihime's shout. But before he could react, the orange beam went straight to his heart. Ulquiorra gasped in pain and surprise as Tsubaki went back to Orihime.

The green javelin that he held dropped to the ground, disappearing.

Ulquiorra wrapped his arms around as black Reiatsu begin to develop around body. a black like explosion occurred as a giant shockwave passed through.

"Watch out!" Uryu warned as he escaped. Ichigo carried Orihime, who healed him of his stab wound, in his arms as they too managed to escape from the explosion.

After landing in a safe distance, the three teens begin to talk.

"Do you think that finished him off Uryu?" Ichigo said as he waved his Hollow mask away.

"We won't know till we check Ichigo."

"Uhhhh Ichigo?"

"What's up?"

"You can put me down now."

"Huh? Ichigo said as he realized he was still carrying Orihime, who had a huge blush on her face.

"Oh! Sorry about that." Ichigo stated as he gently placed the kind-hearted healer on her feet. Ichigo and Orihime looked at each other and they turned around, both had red cheeks.

"Guys look."

Uryu pointed at a prone figure laying on the ground. It was Ulquiorra, who was back to his normal form except his shirt was in tatters, the white helmet on his head was gone and his left eye was still in it's Segunda Etapa form.

"Ulquiorra!" Ichigo shouted as he and his friends ran to the fallen Espada.

Ulquiorra looked at the faces of his enemies and remarked, "You have come here to brag Kurosaki? If not, then finish me off. You have defeated me, therefore I have no reason to keep on living. Kill me now."

Ichigo just gazed at him sadly and said, "Ulquiorra...why did you side with Aizen. What was your motive?"

Ulquiorra just looked at Ichigo and said, "I wanted to remember...what it was like being human."

The three friend's eyes widen at what they heard.

Ulquiorra continued, "Even though I always believed that life had no true meaning, the one thing I held on to was the knowledge that I was once a human."

"And you think joining Aizen would help with that?" Uryu asked.

"Aizen too was once human, and I believed that if I stayed with him, I could understand you humans and the things that you do or say, like the heart for example."

"Do you remember anything?" Ichigo asked.

"No." Ulquiorra said. "But I think I finally understand when you talk about the heart."

Ulquiorra looked on his right and saw his arm turning into ash.

"Sigh. It's that bad? "And just now I was finding you people to be more interesting."

Ulquiorra looked Orihime and asked, "Are you afraid of me?"

Orihime looked sadly at him and said, "No."

Half of his body are fading as Ulquiorra looked at Ichigo one last time. "Farewell...Ichigo Kurosaki." Ulquiorra stared at his remaining hand as he faded away.

_"This thing in my hand...it is my heart?" _Were his final thoughts.

Ichigo had a solemn look on his face as he turned away from the spot where his former enemy died.

Uryu didn't say a word as Orihime's eyes were filled with tears.

Ichigo looked at Orhime and said,

"Orihime."

Orihime quickly snapped to attention.

"Yes Ichigo?"

Ichigo gave the startled princess a hug as he buried his head in her neck.

"Ichi-ichigo!" Orihime cried out as her face turned blood red.

"I'm so glad that you didn't get hurt."

Orihime smiled at this and whispered, "And it's all thanks to you Ichigo."

Ichigo smiled at Orihime who also responded with a smile. Ichigo suddenly gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Orihime's eyes widen in shock at this action.

"Ichigo!" Orihime gasped out.

Ichigo smiled and said, "Let's go help the others Orihime."

"Ri-right!" Orihime stuttered.

Uryu smirked at their interaction as he used Hirenkyaku to jump off the dome roof.

Ichigo carried Orihime in his arms and the two teens looked at each other and both smiled as Ichigo jumped off to help his friends along with his gray-eyed princess.

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><p><strong>Hoped you enjoyed it!<strong>


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